Dental cuspidor construction



Aug. 15, 1939.

E. L. MONNOT DENTAL CUS PIDOR CONS TRUCTION Filed July 23, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lavamZ/i/M/ml Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE DENTAL CUSPIDOR CONSTRUCTION Application July 23, 1937, Serial No. 155,235

4 Claims.

The invention relates generally to dental apparatus including a fountain cuspidor and a water supply unit supported on a suitable stand or pedestal enclosing Water supply and discharge con- 5 nections.

More particularly, the invention relates to dental apparatus in which a dental cuspidor is adapted to swing with respect to the stand and the water supply and valve assembly supported thereby.

In prior constructions having cuspidor and water supply unit including a valve head. for controlling the water supply to the various parts, the whole assembly has been mounted for swinging on the supporting stand or pedestal.

In such constructions, when the assembly is swung to change the position of the cuspidor, the valves requiring manipulation by the dentist are usually in a difficult or awkward position to be reached by the dentist, and the drinking water supply nozzle supported on the unit is also likely to be in an inconvenient location. This is particularly true if the dentist is absorbed in Working on the patients teeth when reaching for the valves or the water glass.

Moreover, where the whole cuspidor, water supply and valve assembly is swung relative to the supporting stand, a swivel joint is required in the water line connection to the water supply unit, and this joint is always under line pressure when water is being supplied to the water supply unit to be used for flushing the cuspidor or for supplying drinking water, tending to cause leakage at said swivel joint.

In such prior constructions, a saliva ejector has been provided for being operated by water from the water supply unit and discharging into the cuspidor. Thus, the water supply unit is under line pressure tending to cause leakage at said swivel joint if the saliva ejector is being used, although water may not be required for merely flushing the cuspidor or for supplying drinking water.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cuspidor and water supply unit in which the cuspidor can swing while the water supply unit and valve assembly remains stationary.

Another object is to provide a swinging cuspidor construction which has no swivel joints subjected to full water line pressure at any time.

Another object is to provide a swinging cuspidor construction in which the water valves for the cuspidor and the other attachments requir- 55 ing water are always located in the same position relative to the supporting stand or pedestal, and to the position of the operator.

A further object is to provide a swinging cuspidor and water supply unit having a saliva ejector which does not discharge into said cuspidor. 5

A still further object is to provide a cuspidor and water supply unit which is simple and compact in construction and convenient and efficient in use.

These and other objects are attained by the 10 parts, improvements, arrangements, combinations and sub combinations constituting the dental apparatus which comprises the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, and preferred embodiments 15 of which together with their mode of use are disclosed and described in the following description, and which are particularly and distinctly set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the improved dental cuspidor construction of the present invention may be set forth in general terms as including a supporting stand or pedestal on which is mounted a bracket arm carrying a valve head and water supply unit having an independent drain, a cuspidor being 05 mounted for swinging with respect to the bracket arm supporting said valve head and water supply unit, means externally of the arm providing a. swivel water line connection between the valve head and cuspidor, the swivel means having its 30 swivel axis laterally oifset from the water supply unit and being outside of the cuspidor, and saliva. ejector means on the valve head adapted for dis.- charging into said independent valve head drain.

Further improved details of construction and 35 arrangement are hereinafter set forth.

By way of example, an embodiment of the improved dental apparatus comprising the present invention is illustrated in the form of dental cuspidor construction in the accompanying draw 40 ings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing the swinging cuspidor and water supply unit mounted on a suitable pedestal;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section thereof, partly in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary Vertical section of the valve head and water connections shown in elevation in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section as on line 4-4 Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig. 2; and 55 Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the valve head as shown in elevation in Fig. 5.

The same numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

While I have shown the improved swinging cuspidor and water supply unit mounted on a pedestal, the same may be mounted on other supporting means, as for example, on a bracket arm extending from a dental instrument stand.

As shown in the drawings, the upper part of the hollow supporting pedestal l is reduced at 8 to form an annular shoulder 9, and the tubular upright arm ID for supporting the water supply unit has an offset portion Ii provided with a depending annular flange I2, which telescopes over the reduced portion 8 and is supported by said shoulder 9.

Preferably, the flange I2 is secured to the reduced portion 8 of the pedestal by a. screw I3 for preventing rotation of the arm on the pedestal.

The upper end of the offset portion II is preferably tubular for receiving and swiveling the reduced depending sleeve portion E4 of the tubular cuspidor bracket arm I5, which supports the cuspidor bowl I6 on its outer end. The hollow arms I and I act as discharge conduits for conducting liquids into the oifset portion I I.

The sleeve portion I4 has formed thereon an annular shoulder I"! which is rotatably supported on the upper end of the offset portion I I, and a bearing washer I8 may be provided between the shoulder I! and the offset portion II as shown. Preferably, the sleeve portion I4 is provided with spaced annular grooves, the lower groove having bearing rings I8 therein, and the upper groove 20 slidably receiving the shank of a retaining screw 2I, for permitting limited swinging movement while preventing upward movement of the bracket arm I5 with respect to the offset portion II.

The outer end of the cuspidor bracket arm I5 has an upwardly open socket portion 22 which is adapted to receive the neck l6 of the cuspidor bowl I6. Preferably, the bottom of neck I6 rests upon a rubber gasket 23 which is supported by the annular flange 24 of the socket. Another rubber gasket 25 encircles the neck 22 above the gasket 23, and a jam nut 25 and washer 21 are provided for compressing gasket 25 between the socket wall and the neck 22 for holding the cuspidor in position without crushing said cuspidor neck.

A strainer 28 may be provided in the neck I6 through which liquids from the bowl I6 pass and drain downwardly through arm l5 into the offset portion II. A drain pipe 29 is provided in pedestal I and communicates at its upper end 30 with the interior of offset portion II, so that liquids may drain from the bowl I6 or from the tubular arm II) into and through the drain pipe 29, which conducts them to a suitable outside drain or sewer connection.

The upright arm I!) is reduced at its upper end to form a socket 32 carrying a receptacle 33 for supporting a water glass 34. The receptacle 33 has a central drain opening 35 communicating with the upper end of a drain pipe 31 in the arm I0.

The arm ID is enlarged adjacent its reduced upper end to form a housing 38 for a valve head 39 and for the drain pipe 31 which discharges into the arm II; below the housing 38. The valve head 39 or water supply unit is mounted on the housing wall 38 by bolts 38c, and a tubular projection 40 extends rearwardly from the bottom end of the valve head 39 through the housing wall. A water pipe M is connected at its upper end to said projection 40 for communicating therewith by suitable coupling means indicated at 42.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of pipe 42 is preferably secured to an elbow fitting 43 having a strainer 44 and cleanout plug 45. The fitting 43 is connected by coupling means 46 to a connector tube 41 secured in the tubular Wall of the pedestal T, and a main water supply pipe 48 in the pedestal is connected to said connector tube 41. Thus, Water from the supply line 48 flows through the pipe 4I into tubular projection 40 of the valve head.

The bore 50 of projection 45 communicates with a preferable vertical passage 5I formed in the valve head 39, and vertically spaced lateral passages 52, 53 and 54 lead from passage 5| to valve chambers 55, 5G and 51 respectively. Valves 58, 59 and 60, connected to the valve head 38, are provided with valve plunger-s BI, 62 and 63 respectively, for abutting the ends of lateral passages 52, 53 and 54 for controlling the flow of water into chambers 55, 55 and 51 respectively.

The valve chamber 55 communicates preferably through ports 64 with the passage 65 of a discharge tube 66 (Fig. 4) for supplying water to a saliva ejector connection indicated generally at 61.

The valve chamber 56 communicates through ports 68 with the passage 69 of a discharge tube leading to a swivel connection indicated generally at ll externally of the arms I?! and I5 for supplying water to the bowl I5 for flushing purposes. The swivel connection is preferably coaxial with the offset portion II on which the cuspidor arm is swiveled, as indicated by the dotdash line in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the cuspidor arm I5 and the water supply pipe to the bowl I6 swivel about the same axis.

The valve chamber 5'! communicates through ports 12 with the passage I3 of a discharge tube I4 communicating with a pipe for supplying water to the glass 34.

Thus the valves for controlling the flow of water to the various parts of the apparatus are located close together in a conveniently accessible place, and always remain in that location regardless of where the cuspidor is swung, since the valve head is stationary with respect to the pedestal.

The saliva ejector connection 61 preferably includes a conduit I6 having a relatively small bore 11 at its inlet end and an enlarged bore 18 at its discharge end. A side aperture 19 is provided into the bore I8 at its junction with bore TI, and a sleeve member 86 forms an annular chamber BI around the conduit I6 communicating with said aperture 19. A flexible tube 82 is connected at one end to said sleeve member 85 and communicates with said chamber SI and the other end of said tube 82 is equipped with the usual terminal 83 for insertion into a patients mouth.

When valve 58 is open, as shown in Fig. 6, water flows through ports 64 and passage 65 through bore I1, and the increased velocity of the water flowing from bore TI into bore 18 causes a suction in the flexible tube 82. This suction is utilized in the usual manner for removing blood, pus and the like from the patients mouth through terminal 83, and draws it into the bore 18, from which it is discharged together with 7 e water stream out through the goose neck pipe 85 and into tubular arm to drain out through pipe 29 in the pedestal. Since the discharge pipe 85 is not connected with the bowl l6, no swivel connection therebetween is equ d, thereby lessening the tendency for leakage at such a connection. Moreover, the patient is spared the sight of blood and pus in the cuspidor bowl 16, which tends to cause nausea.

The swivel connection ll connects tube H! with the pipe 88 for conducting water into the cuspidor bowl It for flushing the same, and the swivel connection preferably includes a pipe nipple 81 coupled to tube 7!) at one end and screwed into a packing sleeve 38 in which a vertical journal member 89 is swiveled. The journal member 89 is provided with a bore 9;": and has lateral ports 9| providing communication between the upper end of the bore and an exterior groove 92 in the journal member, which groove communicates with the bore of the pipe 87.

The pipe 86 is secured at one end in the lower shouldered end of journal member 89 and communicates with the lower end of the bore 90. The other end portion of pipe 88 extends through a rubber washer 93 in the side wall of the cuspidor bowl l6, and the end of the pipe is bent downwardly as shown in Fig. 2 for discharging water into the bottom portion of the bowl.

Suitable packings 94 are provided around the journal member 89 within the ends of sleeve 1?, and a packing nut 95 is screwed on the member 89 for compressing the packings against the ends of sleeve 83.

By means of the present improved construction wherein the cuspidor bowl swings and the water supply unit remains stationary, the valve head 39 can always be under line pressure from the water supply without the occurrence of any leakage, because the single water line swivel connection H is subjected to water pressure only when valve 59 is open to supply water to the bowl [6. When this occurs, however, the water from P pe 86 runs freely into the bowl, so that the amount of pressure at the swivel connection 'H is wholly insumcient to cause any leakage at the swivel connection.

The valves 58, 59 and 60 are operable to supply water to the saliva ejector, cuspidor bowl and water glass, either selectively or all at the same time, and in any case the liquid discharged from the saliva ejector and the water glass receptacle drains into the upright arm Ill and thence into the pedestal drain pipe 29, independently of the cuspidor drain.

The present improved apparatus provides a cuspidor and water supply unit which is simple, p ct and inexpensive in construction, and convenient and efilcient in use.

Various modifications in the details of construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Dental apparatus including a pedestal having a drain pipe therein, a tubular upright arm rigidly mounted on said pedestal and communicating with said drain pipe, a cuspidor swiveled on said upright arm for communicating with said drain pipe, a valve head mounted on said upright arm, saliva ejector means connected to said valve head and discharging into said upright arm, and means externally of the arm providing a swivel connection with the valve head for discharging water into the cuspidor, the swivel means having its swivel axis laterally offset from the valve head and being outside of the cuspidor.

2. Dental apparatus including a pedestal having a drain pipe therein, a tubular upright arm having a laterally offset portion secured on said pedestal, said upright arm providing a discharge conduit communicating with said drain pipe, a tubular cuspidor arm swiveled on said oiTset portion and providing a discharge conduit communicating with said drain pipe, a cuspidor mounted on said cuspidor arm, a valve head mounted on said upright arm, saliva ejector means connected to said valve head and discharging into said upright arm, and means externally of the arms providing a swivel connection -with said valve head for discharging water into said cuspidor, the swivel means having its swivel axis laterally offset from the valve head and being outside of the cuspidor.

3. Dental apparatus including a pedestal having water supply and discharge connections therein, a tubular arm no-n-rotatably mounted on said pedestal and communicating with said pedestal discharge connection, a tubular cuspidor arm swiveled on said non-rotatable arm and communicating with said pedestal discharge connection, I

a cuspidor mounted on said cuspidor arm, a valve head mounted on said non-rotatable arm, means connecting said valve head to said pedestal water supply connection, a water glass receptacle on the end of said non-rotatable arm having a drain discharging into said arm, means connected to said valve head for supplying water to said receptacle, means externally of the arms providing a swivel water conduit connection between the valve head and the cuspidor, the swivel water conduit connection means having the swivel axis laterally ofiset from the valve head and being outside of the cuspidor, and saliva ejector means connected to said valve head and discharging into said nonrotatable arm.

4. Dental apparatus including a pedestal having water supply and discharge connections therein, a tubular upright arm having a laterally olfset portion non-rotatably mounted on said pedestal, said arm communicating with said pedestal discharge connection, a tubular cuspidor arm swiveled on said offset portion and communicating with said pedestal discharge connection, a cuspidor mounted on said cuspidor arm for draining thereinto, a valve head mounted on said upright arm, means connecting said valve head to said pedestal water supply connection, a water glass receptacle on said upright arm, means connected to said valve head for supplying water to said receptacle, means providing a drain connection from the receptacle into said upright arm, a swivel connection externally of the arms for conducting water from said valve head to said cuspidor, the swivel connection having its swivel axis laterally offset from the valve head and being outside of the cuspidor, a saliva ejector operatively connected to said valve head, and a discharge pipe for said saliva ejector discharging into said upright arm.

EDWARD L. MONNOT. 

